Various disconnect assemblies of this general type have heretofore been provided; however, because of inherent design characteristics they are possessed of one or more of the following shortcomings: (a) the device is formed of an inordinate number of components thereby significantly increasing the cost and complexity of the device; (b) the device is incapable of being used in circuits where the voltage exceeds 20,000 volts; (c) the device is susceptible to corona when subjected to high voltage; and (d) manual connecting and disconnecting thereof is an awkward manipulation.